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Thursday, October 29, 2009

Report From The MAPP Meeting In Denton, MD

I want to first start this posting off by thanking Dr. Memo Diriker of Salisbury University's BEACON who served as the moderator. His well honed knowledge and experience of keeping a productive meeting in order was of a great benefit throughout the affair. Even though the meeting was to be for the benefit of Citizens of Caroline County, the Small Group in Opposition to MAPP who were from Dorchester County, showed up with the mind set that they were going to disrupt the proceedings and make it a three ring calamity. Dr. Diriker took control right from the start and let it be known that this was not going to be tolerated as it had sadly been allowed in earlier MAPP meetings held within Dorchester County. There were a few dimwits from the Dorchester Group who did try to make speeches and disrupt the “Question and Answer” secession but Dr. Diriker dressed down those individuals and kept everything an organized bases.

The event was sparsely attended and of the crowd of about 40, half were from the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy and Dorchester Citizens for Safe Energy. The leading arguments from DCSE/ESLC was that PHI was not passing on any answers to their questions.

Bob Jubic of Pepco Holdings Inc. (PHI) made his presentation first outlining potential MAPP routes and welcomed citizen’s inputs. Bob Jubic pledged to continue to work to provide information as it becomes available and mentioned the MAPP office in Cambridge and the ability for people to come three days a week to learn more about the project. (Later after the meeting was over, I asked a PHI representative if anyone from DCSE opposition group or ESLC had come by the office to ask any questions since it had been open. The PHI representative said that no one from any of these groups has visited. You can summarize if DCSE/ESLC really wanted to know more information, or did they just want to grandstand and make nihilistic whining in front of the press.)

When Richard Klein introduced himself, he stated that he was representing an alliance of 1,000 Dorchester County residents. (Which is only 1/32 of Dorchester population by the way) He also went on to admit that in the beginning of this debate, those in opposition were taking the viewpoint that the energy needs for the Delmarva Peninsula was just a fabrication. I was encouraged when he reencountered that statement and admitted that upon their own studies, that the availability of electrical power was lacking for the Peninsula and the need to increase the electrical supply was needed. Mr. Klein said they've had hired their own expert, a PhD, who has told them that YES, INDEED, there is a need to do something to address the energy issues facing the peninsula! I want to thank Mr. Klein for this admission.

Mr. Klein spoke of a prediction that the Harriett Tubman Park is going to triple the tourism income in Dorchester, and said that some people are suggesting it would become the next Gettysburg. Where this sounded good, he did not produce any marketing study to support this statement so it was just apparent that this economic tourism boom was based on nothing more than wishful speculation. For the past 20 years this Dorchester Department of Tourism has not produced any income review to date, and I see no evidence that anything has changed in this Status Quo. For the most, the balance of Mr. Klein’s debating arguments were just as nihilistic and really brought no true value to the discussion.

Tolbert Rowe, a banker in Denton, asked the question how long it would take to get a Garbage Incinerator built and Bob Jubic said he probably couldn't.

(I present this factual information that the Delmarva Peninsula is already loosing opportunities from industries that would provide employment because of the lack of electrical reliability concerns.) Mr. Rowe asked Memo Diriker whether he knew of any companies that had either left the Shore or not located here as a result of energy issues. Memo said yes, he knew of two clients he's worked with that chose not to come here, one because of reliability concerns.

WARNING TO EVERYONE IN DORCHESTER:Mr. Klein did reveal a very dangerous aspect that his group is trying to promote. It was when he made the statement about new generation at Vienna burning “Biomass Waste” which would create 150 permanent jobs. Let me define the term “Biomass.” What he is truly saying that a company called Fibrowatt will be bring in train loads and tractor trailer loads of poultry litter for incineration right in the town of VIENNA!!! I would speculate that it would not be long before all animal manure waste, (Hog, Cow, including human septic sludge), would be brought into Vienna to be burned for this process.

If this Small Group in Opposition (DCSE/ESLC members) gets their way, not only Dorchester County but all surrounding Counties of Talbot, Caroline, Worchester, Queen Anne, etc will suffer economically. GET THESE STUPID PEOPLE STOPPED NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!!!!

6 comments:

I'm at a loss to understand why any environmental group would support burning something 24/7 in our backyards rather than a power line that brings us power. I live near Vienna and I certainly would oppose that plant burning trash or anything 24/7. What is this a preferable alternative???

Here we go again. The self-serving uneducated, misguided, easily lead, people within Dorchester County are once again going to destroy the quality of life of Caroline County, Talbot County when these truck loads of animal SHAT that has to travel on our public roads to get to Vienna. How does our elected leaders like Rich Colburn feel about this? Is he supporting this burning of animal waste within Dorchester?

What in the world are these people thinking of?!?! Who has embedded themselves into this group leading them down this path. I always say follow the money and you will be the real answer. Is the chicken industry funding this group as a means to get rid of their chicken waste and avoid the fact that this industry is dumping too much raw waste on open fields where the run off goes straight into the rivers and bay. If these people of DCSE/ESLC think that the rest of us are going to let them burn chicken waste in Dorchester they are in for a rude awaking. What a bunch of stupid people.

I thought that incineration was not allowed in Dorchester’s comprehensive plan. Has this not become law? Who in the county is holding this up from becoming law? I am going to call my county commissioner Effie Elsey to see what is going on. We have suffered with out of state garbage with Waste Management, polluting stinking composting piles, and now they want to truck in manure to burn? How can anyone think that this is a good idea? Thank you Mr. Travers for letting everyone know what is really going on in this county.

Dear Mr. Travers,I was at a MAPP meeting where a person from my area and who is with Dorchester Citizens for Save Energy said that MAPP with have detrimental health effects from this high voltage power line. She said that this high voltage line will cause leukemia and others cancers. Is this true?

From Jonathan Travers:I want to thank everyone for their comments. Yes it is a very sad state of affair that this Small Group in Opposition has gone to this extreme of lunacy. There is the old adage with life guards that a drowning man will drown everyone around him to save himself.

This is what we in Dorchester and surrounding counties are now dealing with. Everyone needs to contact their local political leaders and voice their opposition to this Fibrowatt plan. But as many have said in the past with so many issues in government, “The one with the most money being funneled into the campaign coffers gets the vote.” I pray and hope that this is not the case with this issue.

To Confused:I want to especially thank you for this question. Let’s look at the facts, high voltage lines have been run for well over 100 years and there have been many medical experts that have testified in court with regards to this “Urban Legend/Wives Tale” and there have been no findings or medical connections between the increase in cancer and transmission lines. This person with DCSE is just passing on inaccurate and false information because they think that it supports their uneducated views on MAPP. In summation, this person has just lied to you.